Creative Genius

I've never been that good at make-believe.  I never made up stories with my Barbies, ponies, dolls, etc.  The few times I've played with my kids, THEY have to come up with a story line.

Today I was cleaning out some junk drawers in my pantry and came across some books that I had made in 3rd and 4th grade.  My teacher must have been a genius, because she actually had us MAKING our own books with a cover and everything.  Although there were a few original stories, most of the books I wrote were patterned after a favorite book of mine.  For example, this work of creative genius: The Giving Boy (patterned after Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree).  I read it and laughed so hard I just had to share the joy...

Once upon a time there was this boy who loved this little seed.  The seed was happy, but not happy enough.

One day the seed said, "Boy, plant me so I will grow into a big tree."  "Okay," said the boy and he did. 

And the seed was happy, but not for long.  One day he said, "Boy, water me so I will grow."  And he did and the tree (that used to be a seed) was happy.

But not for long.  One day the seed said, "Boy (who is now a man) climb me."  The man wanted the tree to be happy so he did, and the tree was happy.

But pretty soon he was bored with just the man climbing him and he said, "Boy, get married and have some kids so they can climb me, too."

So the boy did.  And the tree was happy, but not for long.

And the tree said, "Boy, kill your wife and kids so I can be alone with you."  And the boy said, "No!" and he killed the tree by cutting him down.